Mobile rotary type continuous coke quencher

ABSTRACT

The specification discloses a mobile coke quenching apparatus accommodated to the control of air pollution. The apparatus comprises two adjacent oppositely rotating hoppers between which a wedge-shaped bridge is tangentially disposed in centered alignment to an entrance doorway. The end of the bridge furthest from the doorway has a nose inclined upward and flared plowlike symmetrically to both sides. The entire coke oven charge being pushed is deposited on the bridge, moved toward the nose, and then forced away from the wedge-shaped bridge into the hoppers on either side by the plowlike action of the nose thereon. Conjoint action of the nose and rotation of the hoppers causes pile-up of the coke charge in a circular ridge at the top surface of the coke in the hoppers sufficiently to contain the entire coke oven charge being pushed. The coke oven charge is gravitationally deposited on the central area of rotary tables beneath the hoppers upon which it is quenched and across which it is impelled radially and removed at the peripheries thereof.

United States Patent 1191 Wilt, Jr.

1 1 MOBILE ROTARY TYPE CONTINUOUS COKE QUENCHER Charles R. Wilt, Jr., Upper Saint Clair, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Salem Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: Sept. 28, 1972 21 Appl. No: 292,963

[75] Inventor:

214/18 R [51] Int. Cl Cl0b 39/14 [58] Field of Search 202/227-230,

[ 1 Mar. 11, 1975 Primary Examiner-A. Louis Monaeell Assistant Examiner-David Edwards Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Buell, Blenko and Ziesenheim [57] ABSTRACT The specification discloses a mobile coke quenching apparatus accommodated to the control of air pollution. The apparatus comprises two adjacent oppositely rotating hoppers between which a wedge-shaped bridge is tangentially disposed in centered alignment to an entrance doorway. The end of the bridge furthest from the doorway has a nose inclined upward and flared plowlike symmetrically to both sides. The entire coke oven charge being pushed is deposited on the bridge, moved toward the nose, and then forced away from the wedge-shaped bridge into the hoppers on either side by the plowlike action of the nose thereon. Conjoint action of the nose and rotation of the hoppers causes pile-up of the coke charge in a circular ridge at the top surface of the coke in the hoppers sufficiently to contain the entire coke oven charge being pushed. The coke oven charge is gravitationally deposited on the central area of rotary tables beneath the hoppers upon which it is quenched and across which it is impelled radially and removed at the peripheries thereof.

11 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTED MARI 1 I975 smap F ig.3.

MOBILE ROTARY TYPE courruuons coke QUENCHEIR This invention relates to mobile apparatus for quenching coke and more particularly to such mobile apparatus having adjacent dual rotary hoppers into which the entire change of high temperature coke from an adjacent oven is equally distributed over a wedgeshaped bridge therebetween which is centered with respect to the entrance doorway. The hoppers each deposit the coke by gravity action through a bottom outlet onto the central area of a corresponding rotary quenching table from which the coke is impelled radially outwardly and quenched and peripherally discharged.

In the prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,536,592 of James A. Scharbrough and William Solano, issued Oct. 27, 1970, there is disclosed and claimed a mobile coke quenching apparatus of the multiple bin type, wherein high temperature coke in the bins is deposited on the central area of a corresponding rotary table from the outlet opening of each bin, and wherein the coke is moved by suitable rabble structure radially outward to the peripheral area of the tables over which are spray nozzles which effect a quenching operation. The quenched coke is peripherally discharged through a chute to a conveyor, thereby providing a substantially continuous coke quenching process and saving considerable time over prior methods of coke quenching.

When using the mobile quenching apparatus of the multiple bin type described in U.S. pat. No. 3,536,592 in the current bin capacities, in order to push the entire oven charge of high-temperature coke from an oven into the quenching apparatus, it is necessary that the mobile quenching apparatus be moved to accommodate filling the bins, i.e. by starting the push while the first bin is before the oven and advancing the mobile quenching apparatus during the push so that the bins are positioned successively before the oven. Thus the coke does not pile up in one spot but spreads more or less evenly over all the bins. This tehcnique presents no problem so long as it is permissible to allow the uninhibited emanation of smoke, fumes and particulate matter into the atmosphere. With the advent of stronger anti-pollution laws however, it became clear that such present systems were intolerable.

In studying the problem, it was apparent that any any pollution control here would be extremely difficult to achieve and unduly complicated if the mobile quench apparatus had to continue to be moved as described in order-to receive an entire oven charge of coke. A deceptively simple answer of course is merely to enlarge the bin capacity in the quench apparatus. Unfortunately, however, space limitations at existing coke oven facilities do not accommodate bin enlargement and it becomes necessary to either widen the track area or lower the track level of the mobile quenching apparatus to permit widening and/or deepening of the bins for a larger capacity. Such alterations to existing facilities are prohibitively expensive.

In order to avoid the difficulties and to solve the problems involved in modifying current mobile coke quenching apparatus so as to enable an entire oven load of coke to be pushed at one time without moving the apparatus and yet remain within the space limitations of existing coke-oven facilities, I propose to provide an improved mobile coke quenching apparatus which does not necessitate bins or hoppers of greater than currently available heights and widths and which includes an inlet door arrangement which lends itself readily to a substantially sealed transfer of the charge of coke from the ovens to the quenching apparatus without objectionable emanation of pollutants.

More specifically, I provide a mobile coke quenching apparatus of the type hereinafter referred to, having a pair of adjacent oppositely rotating hoppers separated by a wedgeshaped bridge having a plowlike nose portion by which the entering coke charge becomes substantially equally divided between the hoppers. By reason of the plowing action of the bridge nose and in consequence of the rotation of the hoppers, a pile-up of annular form at the top of each of the hoppers provides additional capacity to accommodate the entire oven charge being pushed. There is also provided a rotary quenching table beneath each hopper from which the coke is impelled radially and quenched and discharged as in prior quenching apparatus.

The above features and others which will become apparent are realized in a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, fully described hereinafter in connection with the following drawings, wherein:

FIG. I is a longitudinal elevational view, partly in section;

FIG. 2 is a plan view, with a fragment in section; and

FIG. 3': is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line IIIlII of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings the embodiment of improved quenching apparatus there shown comprises a wheeled vehicle 10 operating on track rails 11 in parallel spaced relation to a battery of coke ovens 12 (see FIG. 3) with a wheeled coke guide 13 operating on track rails 14 interposed at an elevated position between the track rails 11 and the coke ovens 12.

Vehicle 10 comprises a plurality of pairs of wheeland-axle units 15 in longitudinally spaced relation supporting thereon a vertically rising structural framework 16 in which are a pair of adjacently disposed bins 17. Each of the bins 17 comprises an upper essentially circular portion 18, fixedly secured to the structural framework 16 and having a closed ceiling or roof portion 19 to which ventilating ductwork such as at 20 may be connected through an opening therein.

Access for entry of coke from the ovens 12 to the bins 17 on the quenching vehicle 10 is provided by a doorway structure 21, the doorway 22 of which is normally closed by a pair of oppositely swinging hinged doors 23 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) which are opened and closed by suitable power means, such as air or hydraulic operated cylinders (not shown).

The doorway 22, as shown in FIG. 3, is adapted to be moved into substantial registry with a door and doorway 24 of the battery of ovens 12, in which position a ram (not shown) may be operated to push the coke charge from the oven compartment across the supporting platform 25 of the wheeled coke guide 13 into the doorway 22 of the quenching vehicle 10.

The coke guide 13 may be provided with a suitably constructed tunnel enclosure indicated by the broken lines in FIG. 3, through which the coke charge traverses the intervening space between oven doorway 24 and doorway 22 on the quenching vehicle. Thus, the smoke, fumes and particulate matter which emanates from the coke charge during the transfer to the quenching vehcile 10 may be substantially prevented from escaping to the atmosphere and be withdrawn and recovered, as through the ductwork opening out of each bin structure, by means such as a blower or fan 26 (FIG. 1) connecting with duct work 20, or other appropriate means not shown. All such apparatus for the purpose of eliminating air pollution is more fully described in the copending application of Faber et a1. filed Each of the bins 17 further comprises, according to the invention, a lower portion or hopper 28 of essentially inverted conical shape, the circular top edge of which is supported in closely spaced relation to the bottom edge of the upper bin portion 18. Each hopper 28 is supported for rotary travel on a vertical axis by means of a plurality of circumferentially spaced rollers 29 supported on the framework and which engage a horizontal circular track 30 on the outside wall of the hopper 28. Each of the hoppers 28 is rotated by a motor 31, through a pinion 32 on the shaft of the motor, which pinion meshes with a circular rack 33 on the outside wall of the hopper. The hoppers are rotated simultaneously at the same speed and preferably in opposite directions with respect to each other. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the peripheral areas of the hoppers adjacent their point of tangency move synchronously in the same direction away from doorway 22, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 2.

In order to assist in effecting substantially equal distribution of coke charge to the two hoppers 28, a wedge-shaped bridge member 35 is disposed tangentially between the hoppers and in substantially centered alignment to the doorway 22. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bridge member 35 has a substantially uniform cross-section of inverted V-shape from a point just inside the doorway 22 to a point near the longitudinal center line of vehicle 10, after which the side surfaces flare outwardly and the apex or ridge of the member 35 rises steeply upward in a substantially straight line to form a plowlike nose 35a(FIG. 3). Moreover, the base of the bridge member 35 is approximately at the level of the top of the rotary hoppers 28 and the sloping side surfaces of the nose 35a and of the bridge member overhang the edge of the hoppers 28 at 50 and 51 (FIG. 2), and then merge respectively into the walls of the upper circular portion 18 of the bins 17. Thus, as the coke oven charge is deposited on the bridge member 35, it is pushed toward the plowlike nose 35awhich acts to force the coke to either side of the bridge member at the top surface of the coke fill in the hoppers 28. The overhang of the upper edge of the hoppers 28 by the sloping side surfaces of the plowlike nose 35a and of the bridge member at 50 and 51 insures that as the coke is forced into the upper circular portion 18 of the bins, it does not contact the side walls of the circular portion. Thus, coke dust and particles are directed away from the thin gap between the upper edge of the hoppers and the bottom edge of the stationary circular portions 18 to avoid their escape to the atmosphere outside the bin and the consequent pollution of the surrounding air. The bridge member 35 also serves to divide the quantity of high temperature coke, which is deposited thereon through the doorway 22, in substantially equal proportions so that the two hoppers 28 are substantially equally and concurrently filled with high temperature coke. In this connection it should be understood that the coke pushed through the doorway 22 moves toward the plowlike nose 350 by reason of the rotation of the hoppers concurrently in opposite directions, which results in concurrent movement in the same direction of the periphery of the hoppers at the point of tangency with the bridge member 35. The incoming charge of coke is carried away from the doorway 22 fast enough so that it cannot build up at the bridge member 35 but, rather, moves toward the nose portion 35a which distributes it into and forms an annular pile or ridge at the top surface of the coke fill in each of the hoppers within the upper circular bin portions 18. Thus adequate capacity is provided in the bins 17 for holding the entire coke charge being pushed. The contour of the annular pile-up at the top surface of the coke in the hoppers is indicated by the broken line 37 in FIG. 1. Even if a disproportionate amount of coke charge were to fall to one side of the bridge member 35, the conjoint action of the plowlike nose and rotation of hoppers would cause the excess to build up on one side and spill over to the other side of the bridge member.

Disposed in spaced relation below the outlet 36 at the bottom of each of the hoppers 28 and in substantially coaxial relation thereto is a rotary table 38. Each table 38 is supported on a central bearing 39 and is driven by a motor (not shown) through a pinion meshing with a circular rack 40 on the bottom of the table.

Similarly to the apparatus in US. Pat. No. 3,5 36,592, a plurality of rabbles 41 (FIG. 3) are suspended over the annular peripheral area of each of the rotary tables, on a plurality of radially extending arms, the rabbles 41 being disposed at an angle to the radius and in overlapping relation whereby they effect radial movement of the coke charge toward the periphery of the table.

Also in a manner similar to that of the apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 3,536,592, a plurality of spray nozzles 42 (FIG. 1) are arranged in circumferentially spaced ra' dial relation above the annular peripheral area of each of the rotary tables 38. The nozzles 42 are connected to a manifold pipe 43 and by suitable valve control means (not shown) provide an appropriate quantity of quenching liquid, such as water, to quench the coke deposited on and progressing across the rotary table.

A conveyor 46 (FIG. 3) is provided adjacent the periphery of each of the rotary tables 38 onto which the rabbles 41 move the quenched coke charge via exit chutes or wharves 45, also in the manner described in US. Pat. No. 3,536,592.

The above described rotary apparatus lends itself to the provision of suitable hood and duct work to contain and carry away steam and particulate matter for subsequent recovery and disposal. As shown in FIG. 1 hoods 44 communicate with ducts 20a through which the steam and pollutants are propelled by fan 26.

The manner of operation of the quenching apparatus may be apparent from the foregoing description. Nevertheless, a brief description thereof is as follows.

The quenching vehicle 10 is shifted on rails 11 to a position in which the entry doorway 22 thereof is in registry with the doorway 24 of the particular oven of the battery of ovens l2 desired to be discharged.

A conventional door opening and cleaning machine (not shown) is then moved on the tracks 14 to a position in front of the oven door 47, and, after lifting the oven door out of the oven doorway, proceeds to clean off the door flanges and doorway frame. The door opening and cleaning machine is then shifted out of the way carrying the oven door with it, and the coke guide vehicle 13 is shifted thereafter to a position on tracks 14 between the oven door 47 and the doorway 22 of the quench vehicle 10. In this position, the floor surface of the coke guide vehicle 13 bridges the gap between the sill of the oven doorway 24 and the sill of the quenching vehicle doorway 22. The coke guide vehicle 13 may be provided with a tunnel-like enclosure (not shown) which seals at its opposite ends on the oven wall or doorway and the doorway 22 of the quench ve hicle 10, to minimize emanation of fumes and gases from the coke charge as it is pushed, by conventional ram mechanism, from the oven chamber across the floor surface 25 of the coke guide vehicle into the doorway 22 of the quench vehicle 10. It will be understood that the doors 23 on the quench vehicle 10 are appropriately opened, as by remote control means (not shown), just prior to the operation of the ram which pushes the coke charge out of the oven compartment, across the coke guide floor 25, and into the open inlet doorway 22 of the quench vehicle. With the hoppers 28 of both bins 117 rotating concurrently in opposite directions, the entire coke charge from oven 12 is deposited on the bridge member and distributed substantially equally to the two hoppers. The coke charge then passes to the two rotary tables 38 from where, after being quenched, it is deposited on the conveyor 46 and carried to a remote point.

The process above described of unloading an oven compartment may be repeated for successive oven compartments, after reclosing doors 23 on the quenching vehicle 10 and restoring the oven door 47 to its closed position in the oven doorway 24, by shifting the quenching vehicle 10 and coke guide 13 into corre sponding registry therewith.

It will be apparent that by reason of the improvements which we have provided, not only is it possible to discharge at one time a complete charge of coke from an oven into the two bins 17 of the quenching vehicle 10, without having to move the quenching vehicle or change the existing coking facility to accommodate larger bins, but also it renders possible and practical the application of anti-air-pollution apparatus, such as shown and described herein to contain and remove pollutant fumes, smoke, particulate matter and steam under forced draft.

While a specific preferred embodiment of the apparatus has been here described, it will be understood that variations and modifications may be made therein within the terms of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus having a dual bin structure, the improvement comprising a pair of rotary hoppers respectively forming part of the individual bins of said dual bin structure, motor means for concurrently rotating said rotary hoppers in opposite directions, a wedge element of inverted V- shape in cross-section located between the upper inlet openings of said pair of rotary hoppers, and a common inlet with which said wedge element is in centered alignment and through which heated coke is pushed and deposited principally on said wedge element.

2. A mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral areas of both said rotary hoppers move concurrently in the same direction when adjacent said wedge element in coincidence with the direction the coke charge is pushed.

3. A mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each bin of said dual bin structure comprises a stationary upper portion having a circular wall and wherein one of said hoppers is disposed immediately below the stationary portion and has a circular upper opening in vertical alignment with said circular wall and a central opening at the bottom thereof which forms the outlet opening of the corre sponding bin, said circular walls having opposed openings connected by a passage between parallel extending walls, one of which contains said common inlet.

4. A mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wedge element and said rotary hoppers function in cooperation to insure substantial equality in distribution of coke entering through said common inlet to the bins of said dual bin structure and to produce build-up capacity for piling up of coke at the top surface of the coke in each of said hoppers.

5. A mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the said wedge element of inverted V-shape in cross section forms a linear bridge of varying height between and essentially tangential to the said rotary hoppers.

6. A mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opposite ends ofsaid wedge element extend laterally in overhanging relation to said hoppers.

7. In a mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus according to claim 1 and including a rotary coke quenching table below each said bin outlet opening, the improvement wherein each of said bins has a top closure member, hood means covering each of the rotary tables within which steam formed by coke quenching collects, a blower, and ductwork means providing communication from said closure members and said hood means to said blower, via which said blower removes therefrom under forced draft dust, particulate matter and vapor.

8. A mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the said wedge element forms a linear bridge between and merging laterally into the circular walls of said stationary upper portions.

9. A mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the portion of said wedge element away from said common inlet rises in elevation to form a plowlike nose.

10. A mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the said plowlike nose portion of said wedge element extends laterally in overhanging relation to said rotary hoppers.

11. In a distribution apparatus of the type comprising a dual bin structure having a pair of bins in side-by-side relation, the improvement wherein each bin comprises an upper stationary portion with a circular wall of substantial height, a rotary hopper of inverted conical shape disposed in coaxial relation immediately below said circular wall with the larger diameter end thereof in close registry with the bottom of said circular wall, said circular walls having opposed openings and parallel extending walls forming a passageway therebetween by which to connect said openings, wherein a wedge element of inverted V-shape and varying height extends from one to the other of said parallel walls in interposed relation between the larger diameter ends of said rotary hoppers, wherein a common inlet providing access for a commodity into said bins extends through one of said parallel walls in alignment with said wedge element so that a commodity entering through said inlet is deposited on said wedge element, and wherein means concurrently rotates said rotary hoppers in opparallel w'alls move in the same direction, said wedge element in cooperation with rotation of said rotary hoppers serving to equalize distribution of the composite directions so that peripheral portions of said rmodity between the Said two rotary PP tary hoppers adjacent said wedge element within said 

1. In a mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus having a dual bin structure, the improvement comprising a pair of rotary hoppers respectively forming part of the individual bins of said dual bin structure, motor means for concurrently rotating said rotary hoppers in opposite directions, a wedge element of inverted V-shape in cross-section located between the upper inlet openings of said pair of rotary hoppers, and a common inlet with which said wedge element is in centered alignment and through which heated coke is pushed and deposited principally on said wedge element.
 1. In a mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus having a dual bin structure, the improvement comprising a pair of rotary hoppers respectively forming part of the individual bins of said dual bin structure, motor means for concurrently rotating said rotary hoppers in opposite directions, a wedge element of inverted V-shape in cross-section located between the upper inlet openings of said pair of rotary hoppers, and a common inlet with which said wedge element is in centered alignment and through which heated coke is pushed and deposited principally on said wedge element.
 2. A mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral areas of both said rotary hoppers move concurrently in the same direction when adjacent said wedge element in coincidence with the direction the coke charge is pushed.
 3. A mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each bin of said dual bin structure comprises a stationary upper portion having a circular wall and wherein one of said hoppers is disposed immediately below the stationary portion and has a circular upper opening in vertical alignment with said circular wall and a central opening at the bottom thereof which forms the outlet opening of the corresponding bin, said circular walls having opposed openings connected by a passage between parallel extending walls, one of which contains said common inlet.
 4. A mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wedge element and said rotary hoppers function in cooperation to insure substantial equality in distribution of coke entering through said common inlet to the bins of said dual bin structure and to produce build-up capacity for piling up of coke at the top surface of the coke in each of said hoppers.
 5. A mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the said wedge element of inverted V-shape in cross section forms a linear bridge of varying height between and essentially tangential to the said rotary hoppers.
 6. A mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opposite ends of said wedge element extend laterally in overhanging relation to said hoppers.
 7. In a mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus according to claim 1 and including a rotary coke quenching table below each said bin outlet opening, the improvement wherein each of said bins has a top closure member, hood means covering each of the rotary tables within which steam formed by coke quenching collects, a blower, and ductwork means providing communication from said closure members and said hood means to said blower, via which said blower removes therefrom under forced draft dust, particulate matter and vapor.
 8. A mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the said wedge element forms a linear bridge between and merging laterally into the circular walls of said stationary upper portions.
 9. A mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the portion of said wedge element away from said common inlet rises in elevation to form a plowlike nose.
 10. A mobile rotary type coke quenching apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the said plowlike nose portion of said wedge element extends laterally in overhanging relation to said rotary hoppers. 